Post Traumatic Growth Institute

Greetings PTGI family and friends,

It's a Friday and we experienced some pretty wicked weather last night...storms were very strong, and I have some damage to my large tree in the back yard. It'll have to wait to get any work done until I go back to work in the fall for the new school year. Just praying that no more extreme weather moves through the area, that could spell disaster.

Speaking of disasters, the Book of Judges was one calamity after another...when I get into 1st and 2nd Kings it will hold true for the many Kings that will rule between the two Jewish territories.
Unfortunately, we today haven't made much progress...failing to adhere to the principles set forth by the Lord and by Jesus. We seek our own idols which disrupts our communion with God, just like in Judges.
Friends, understand that we are the furthest thing from perfect. We are prone to being misled by a dastardly character that preys upon our weaknesses daily and will continue to do so until the new Heaven and Earth is established according to God's word.
We need to realize is that Christ was the sacrificial Lamb who came to overcome our sinful ways and set us on a new path to redemption. We can't do it on our own, we are far too broken and unclean for that to ever happen, but Jesus stepped in to wash us clean so that we are presentable to our Heavenly Father.
Folks, review Judges and see how this people consistently walked away from the Word...they believed they saw that the "grass was greener" on the other side of the fence. What a mess that created. Are you caught up in the same misguided venture? Letting the unholy and the world dictate what is the solemn truth? Step back and view what's going on in your life from an outside perspective, asking the Lord to open your eyes and heart...it may be the breakthrough you've been waiting for...thank you Father.

Blessing and grace be with you from a Loving Holy Lord - Dave

Greetings PTGI friends and family,

Here we are mid-week and it's going to reach 58 degrees today. the weather sure is out of whack and I'm not looking forward to what the summer has in store for us.
I'm in Exodus and I feel sorry for Moses and Aaron...they have six hundred thousand complaining men in their midst...this of course doesn't count the women and children which would put the count at more than a million people. They are all willful and want things their way and they want it "now". Plus, they continually remind Moses that they were content with normal business under Pharoah's rule. Not sure I'd agree to their outlook on life...seems rather pointless and dim, much like our own lives when we try to exert control over our own destiny instead of trusting in the Lord. So, for the next 40 years they are going to wander in the wilderness and all the while they will continue to grumble about their lot in life until that particular generation dies off. What a mess.
Folks, why is that? What makes us believe that we are uniquely qualified to govern our lives? We need only step back one book to Genesis to see the fall from grace and realize that life will be a constant struggle. Life will always be a struggle...God said it would be...we've gotten smarter and have technology that rivals our predecessors, but life hasn't gotten any easier. Famine and disease are still prevalent today, as much so as it was back then. We are still rather thick-headed...I know from experience that this is so...I'm living proof. My only advantage is putting my trust in the Heavenly Father and that took the majority of my life to realize. I'm not in control...I may have free will but that just means I'm capable of really making a mess of things. I have to rely on God's divine plan for my life and to seek Him out daily in order to stay afloat.
Friends, ask yourselves...am I really making the best choices for my life and those I care for or should I be looking to the Father for guidance and understanding? As I move through the Bible, I will come to understand that when "humanity" is in charge things go awry but when the "Lord" is in control life moves at a simpler pace. I find I don't need to compete with the Jones's and I'm more content and happy with life.
Today, instead of trying to control every aspect of your life, ask Father God to lead you on the path towards your heavenly home, not your earthly one. You may be surprised at the response.

Peace and grace to you all, from our loving Heavenly Father - Dave

Greetings All,

Temperature at the freezing mark, add in some fog/mist in the air and you have an ice-skating rink for roads. Being a school bus driver during these conditions can test your patience and abilities to make the best decisions while navigating the roadways...lower gears and slowing down works best.
I finished Genesis and I'm always in awe of Father God's accomplishments concerning mankind. The fall from grace was and is our greatest cataclysmic event...it's something we will try to atone for but can never make the grade. Try as we will, our own brokenness can never supplant the act of carelessness that transpired. We will struggle for countless generations.
Friends, I try daily to live up to my best potential...to be a light in the darkness that has consumed the earth. Unfortunately, things always tend to creep in and sideline my efforts...it's only through God's grace that I make it through the day. Like Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, I had to learn to trust in the Lord's plan for my life even when I instinctively believe that I'm heading in the wrong direction. I've made my own judgment calls and wound up in a heap of trouble...but Father God in his infinite wisdom allowed it to happen to show me that even though I made a mess of things He can fix my blunders for His glory. Do this a dozen or so times and you start to learn that trusting in the Lord is far better than marching to your own beat.
Folks, take time to pray and search out the path that the Lord has laid out before you...it may seem daunting but it's a matter of trust on our part.
Peace and grace from our Heavenly Father to you all today - Dave